1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is generally directed toward vehicle covers. In particular, the present invention is directed toward a vehicle cover which may be quickly installed with minimal effort for the protection of the exterior surface of the vehicle in the event of a hazardous weather situation.
2. Background Information
A variety of vehicle covers are available for protecting a vehicle's exterior surface from environmental hazards. Typically, the conventional vehicle cover consists of a single ply of material to protect a vehicle's surface finish from the everyday environment experienced in a storage situation, such as sun, wind, rain, dust, and bird droppings, among other things. However, clearly something more is needed for protection from the more damaging effects of a hail storm or other hazardous weather situation.
Even a conservative estimate would place annual repair costs to vehicles from hail damage in the billions of dollars. In an effort to provide a solution, inventors have long attempted to fill the need of a vehicle cover that provides protection to the outer surface of the vehicle from the damaging effects of hail. However, the solutions provided in the prior art fall short of the optimum balance between quick and efficient deployment and maximum protection as needed in the event of a sudden hail storm.
In effect the prior art reveals two categories of vehicle covers for protecting the surface of a vehicle from the effects of a hail storm. These may adequately be referred to as (1) the padded cover and (2) the inflatable cover. Prior art falling in the padded cover category includes that described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,699,192; 4,807,922; 5,664,825; 6,070,629; and 6,220,648. Although no inflation is needed for these prior art covers, the covers themselves require the use of thick, heavy materials. While this does provide some protection for the vehicle, it also typically provides a bulky, heavy, difficult-to-install cover that is not suitable for an emergency covering of the vehicle body, particularly by a single individual.
The second category, or inflatable type of covers, includes those covers described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,294,483; 5,242,206; 6,044,881; 4,966,406; and 6,439,644. These car covers all integrate some type of inflatable envelope; however, all of these covers also fall short of the optimum, because they do not provide for single-user emergency deployment. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 4,294,483 issued to Ferris discloses an inflatable vehicle cover, but the vehicle cover in Ferris is clearly not intended, nor capable of, emergency use. That is, although a single user may be able to place the deflated cover in Ferris onto a car in an emergency situation such as a hail storm, the individual would also be required to locate bungee strips provided in Ferris and attach them to the cover for proper fit to the vehicle. Next, the individual would need to locate an external air compressor (as is the disclosed mechanism for inflation in Ferris), inflate the Ferris cover to the proper level, and shut the compressor off. Finally, the individual would need to seek shelter elsewhere, as Ferris (and the other prior art examples) fails to provide for reentry into the vehicle for temporary protection from the storm.
In view of the limitations associated with the prior art, a substantial need exists for an inflatable vehicle cover for use in emergency situations, which is light, fully covers the vehicle, and allows an individual to re-enter the vehicle for temporary shelter from the elements. Applicant's invention, through a novel combination of component pieces, provides such a mechanism.